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Clinicians rely heavily on pulmonary computed tomography angiography (CTA) to diagnose pulmonary embolism (PE). However, the test isn't perfect: Scanning artifacts and interobserver variability among interpreting radiologists account for some of this imperfection. In this retrospective study, researchers identified 937 pulmonary CTA studies performed during a 1-year period at a university hospital in Ireland; of these, 174 (18%) had been interpreted as positive for PE by the radiologist who issued the clinical report. Three experienced chest radiologists independently reviewed the 174 positive cases and reinterpreted the images.
In 45 (26%) of these 174 cases, all three radiologists interpreted the images as negative for PE. The 45 discordan…